If you want to play small group you better start playing in a big band.
At one point, I wanted to be a professional trombone player. Then I realized if I wanted to be a successful trombone player I’d have to be like one of the 10 best in the world and if I wanted to be a successful businessman I just had to be good.
When push comes to shove, I have no idea what Phil Smith and Joe Alessi are thinking.
I got to Symphony Hall early to fulfill my orchestral fantasy and played Mahler 3 on my King 2B . . . probably gives you guys the heebie-jeebies just thinking about that.
Bud Herseth used to refer to me as a greenhorn. I was totally a greenhorn. I didn’t know one side of the trumpet from the other.
I’m known for my records and PBS specials, but I don’t have those without having Sting on board first.
When I go to work, I feel like wow . . . I’m going to work in the New York Philharmonic! I still can’t believe it.
We were in a small room. Arnold Jacobs was there, Sir Georg Solti was there and Solti told me that I had won the job. I made it very very clear I was not replacing Arnold Jacobs because Arnold Jacobs was irreplaceable.
Mike got stuck with the clarinet. After we had been playing for a couple years, we used to get together in the bathroom ‘cause we liked the echo. We would just play free . . . we didn't know much about chord changes at that age.
It was thanks to a brass player that I got the gig with Weather Report.
I did 15 albums with Henry Mancini and always had something beautiful to play. He was a monumental gift to the world.
